40 Days of LESS (guest post).

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(Please to welcome Allie. I adore her. She inspires me. She’s here at my begging request.)

If you ask me what I want for my upcoming 40th birthday, I probably would respond by telling you everything I don’t want:

To be diagnosed with, and eventually die from, ovarian cancer like my mom when she was in her forties

To start feeling, being, thinking, looking like a 40 year old (whatever that means!)

To get a colonoscopy

This started me thinking about what else I could do without in my new decade:

Toxic friendships

Anxiety

Complaining

Fear

Stress

And thus, a birthday dream was born.

I decided that in the 40 days leading up to my 40th birthday, I would chose just one thing per day, and do less of it.

I thought it would be nothing more then a fun experiment, and just coming up with 40 things to do less of, proved a harder task then it seemed.

But slowly, I built a list, and each day I posted a picture to Instagram with my intention of “less” for the day.

Whatever the word, it stayed with me like a bestie or a retriever though out my day.

Day one was less complaining (because let’s just start at the top!) and I managed to hold it together even though it was the 756th snow day for my twin 5 year-olds, I couldn’t get to the gym and my husband was leaving on a four-day business trip.

Each time I wanted to completely freak out and yell expletives (less swearing was day eight), it came back to me and slapped me in the head.

Gently but firmly.

I was giving myself permission not to do something, to change my mindset…and I loved it.

On day six my assignment was to worry less.

You know what? I discovered I worry a lot less then I thought I did. Bonus!

Day 10 was less comparing so I went though the day thinking about only what I would do and no one else. What a concept!

Each day that has gone by has been a gift, one I have given to myself but a gift I could have been using for the past 39 years!

It’s everything Carla was talking about when choosing quality over quantity.

By spending less time judging (day 11), over thinking (day14), fearing (day 17), multi-tasking (day 21) and second guessing (day 22) I’ve spent more time understanding, relaxing, hoping, focusing and enjoying.

So, what do I want for my 40th birthday?

I already gave it to myself.

 

Allie is happiest when sweating or writing.

She’s a competitive athlete on Oiselle Team Voleé and has represented Team USA in duathlon competition. When she’s not running, swimming or biking she’s writing her health and fitness blog VITA – Train for Life. The blog discusses training and racing with the goal of motivation, inspiration and hilarity. Allie also writes for RunHaven.com and Fitbie.com when she’s not chasing her twin 5 year-old boys around at her home. The two things Allie values more then training and writing are sleep and food. There’s never enough time for all of it!

Follow her:

Twitter: @vitatrain4life

Instagram: vitatrain4life

 

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Comments

    • OH THE HONOR IS ALL ALL MINE MINE. I loved you from afar for so long and then I…delurked myself 🙂

  2. This is such a great idea!
    I am at the age where all my friends have buckets list and the lists have lists and it is all too much.
    This is what’s important.

  4. I turn fifty in a month and have been panicked about it.
    Not about the age but the undone stuff.
    There are no accidents. I was meant to see this today.
    You are fantastic, Allie.

  5. Must do this!!! I am turning 30 in July so perhaps I’ll do a week leading up to the 3-0 mark…thanks for sharing. My favorite of those you mentioned, stop comparing 🙂

  6. Thank you for sharing Allie’s post, Carla.
    I lost my mom to cancer, too, and can find the fear as I age debilitating.
    This struck home with me.

  8. Beautiful post! And so perfect for your blog Carla! You two are both such lovable people, who could not love this post, especially with those words allie! I wasnt sure how you were going to handle 40, but you have done it with grace…..just like you do everything else 🙂 Love it!!!

  9. i am soooo happy to see this amazing collaboration here ladies 🙂 Allie, what a great project to celebrate your 40th. A lot of people *say* they want to do those things and never follow through. You did!! So proud of you.

  11. This is beautiful. I love how Allie approached things from the standpoint of doing “less.” I think sometimes we fear change because it’s daunting to think of adding yet another thing we have to do. Allie’s approach gives you an entirely different perspective! So awesome!

  12. I was really inspired watching Allie go through those days of less leading up to her birthday. Who doesn’t need less complaining, worrying, comparing, fear, etc? Powerful stuff!

  13. It randomly snowed last Monday here in Chicago after it was in the 60s the week before and at first I was grumbling about how my boots weren’t waterproof, but by the end of the day I made a conscious effort to change my perspective and I was able to appreciate the beauty of the snow in the city. It’s the little things 🙂

  14. I was just coming up with a post on this morning’s swim about the NOTs- what I do NOT want to do/be in the remaining years of my life. Guess I should get started on this as it seems to be a “theme” right now…
    P.S. You do less of the things you mentioned as you get older. The only thing I would add is WORK…I want to WORK less, and play more!

  18. I am so thrilled to see Allie here!! I loved her 40 by 40 project and this is such a great conclusion to that fabulous idea. Happy weekend to both of you lovely ladies, Carla and Allie!

  19. Love this! Allie’s positive outlook on life and funny sense of humor is so refreshing!
    I think we can all learn from her 40 days….life is too short not to! 🙂

  20. So much of this post speaks to me right now, especially the parts about building slowly and taking a picture of your less. I’m certainly going to do this because I really love the idea and the focus, and the growth, that it brings. Thank you for sharing this.

  22. So fun to see Allie here!!! I loved her idea of getting ready for 40 by giving up something each day and she picked some really great things to give up!!! I need to get the list and work on at least a few of those things!!!

  23. I love seeing Allie here! I loved following her 40 Days of Less journey and it’s great to see all she took from her experience. Way to go Allie (and Carla for having you here).

  24. I lived following you on this journey, Allie. It’s an inspiring idea – maybe for my 45th? Or maybe just because.

Trackbacks

  2. […] When I fist thought about starting to write a health and fitness blog I Googled something like “best health and fitness bloggers,” since I wanted to see what the top dogs were up to, and build from there. Guess who came up first? Carla Birnberg! I was fascinated with her blog, her writing, her fitness, all of it. I remember thinking I would have to work my ass off to accomplish half of what she has, and today I feel like I reached the illustrious halfway goal (way to shoot for the stars!) because I’m a guest on her site! […]

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